Fecal estradiol and progesterone metabolite levels in the three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus)

The present study was carried out to assess the possibility of measuring fecal steroid hormone metabolites as a noninvasive technique for monitoring reproductive function in the three-toed sloth, Bradypus variegatus. Levels of the estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) metabolites were measured by radioimmunoassay in fecal samples collected over 12 weeks from 4 captive female B. variegatus sloths. The validation of the radioimmunoassay for evaluation of fecal steroid metabolites was carried out by collecting 10 blood samples on the same day as defecation. There was a significant direct correlation between the plasma and fecal E2 and P4 levels (P < 0.05, Pearson's test), thereby validating this noninvasive technique for the study of the estrous cycle in these animals. Ovulation was detected in two sloths (SL03 and SL04) whose E2 levels reached 2237.43 and 6713.26 pg/g wet feces weight, respectively, for over four weeks, followed by an increase in P4 metabolites reaching 33.54 and 3242.68 ng/g wet feces weight, respectively. Interestingly, SL04, which presented higher levels of E2 and P4 metabolites, later gave birth to a healthy baby sloth. The results obtained indicate that this is a reliable technique for recording gonadal steroid secretion and thereby reproduction in sloths.

Molecular analysis of the bovine coronavirus S1 gene by direct sequencing of diarrheic fecal specimens

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) causes severe diarrhea in newborn calves, is associated with winter dysentery in adult cattle and respiratory infections in calves and feedlot cattle. The BCoV S protein plays a fundamental role in viral attachment and entry into the host cell, and is cleaved into two subunits termed S1 (amino terminal) and S2 (carboxy terminal). The present study describes a strategy for the sequencing of the BCoV S1 gene directly from fecal diarrheic specimens that were previously identified as BCoV positive by RT-PCR assay for N gene detection. A consensus sequence of 2681 nucleotides was obtained through direct sequencing of seven overlapping PCR fragments of the S gene. The samples did not undergo cell culture passage prior to PCR amplification and sequencing. The structural analysis was based on the genomic differences between Brazilian strains and other known BCoV from different geographical regions. The phylogenetic analysis of the entire S1 gene showed that the BCoV Brazilian strains were more distant from the Mebus strain (97.8% identity for nucleotides and 96.8% identity for amino acids) and more similar to the BCoV-ENT strain (98.7% for nucleotides and 98.7% for amino acids). Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the hypervariable region of the S1 subunit, these strains clustered with the American (BCoV-ENT, 182NS) and Canadian (BCQ20, BCQ2070, BCQ9, BCQ571, BCQ1523) calf diarrhea and the Canadian winter dysentery (BCQ7373, BCQ2590) strains, but clustered on a separate branch of the Korean and respiratory BCoV strains. The BCoV strains of the present study were not clustered in the same branch of previously published Brazilian strains (AY606193, AY606194). These data agree with the genealogical construction and suggest that at least two different BCoV strains are circulating in Brazil.

Gastric emptying of water in children with severe functional fecal retention

The objective of this study was to evaluate gastric emptying (GE) in pediatric patients with functional constipation. GE delay has been reported in adults with functional constipation. Gastric emptying studies were performed in 22 children with chronic constipation, fecal retention and fecal incontinence, while presenting fecal retention and after resuming regular bowel movements. Patients (18 boys, median age: 10 years; range: 7.2 to 12.7 years) were evaluated in a tertiary pediatric gastroenterology clinic. Gastric half-emptying time of water (reference range: 12 ± 3 min) was measured using a radionuclide technique immediately after first patient evaluation, when they presented fecal impaction (GE1), and when they achieved regular bowel movements (GE2), 12 ± 5 weeks after GE1. At study admission, 21 patients had reported dyspeptic symptoms, which were completely relieved after resuming regular bowel movements. Medians (and interquartile ranges) for GE1 and GE2 were not significantly different [27.0 (16) and 27.5 (21) min, respectively (P = 0.10)]. Delayed GE seems to be a common feature among children with chronic constipation and fecal retention. Resuming satisfactory bowel function and improvement in dyspeptic symptoms did not result in normalization of GE data.

Impacto de uma abordagem interdisciplinar em crianças e adolescentes com disfunção do trato urinário inferior (DTUI)

Introdução: A disfunção do trato urinário inferior (DTUI) corresponde a alterações no enchimento ou esvaziamento de urina de causas neurogênicas, anatômicas e funcionais. Objetivo: Avaliar o impacto do tratamento em crianças e adolescentes com DTUI. Métodos: Coorte histórica de 15 anos de seguimento com participação de 192 pacientes (123F, 69M) com idade inicial de 0,1 a 16,8 anos, analisados à admissão (T0) e ao final do seguimento (T1). A maioria dos pacientes era do grupo neurológico (60,4%). O tratamento instituído foi a uroterapia com intervenção comportamental e cognitiva, micção de hora marcada, hidratação oral, dieta laxativa, biofeedback, eletroestimulação sacral, cateterismo vesical intermitente limpo (CIL), terapia anticolinérgica, enema retal, tratamento da infecção do trato urinário (ITU) e, nos casos refratários, procedimentos cirúrgicos, tais como a derivação urinária continente e incontinente (vesicostomia), ampliação vesical e conduto para a realização do enema anterógrado cólico. Resultados: Os principais sintomas foram incontinência urinária diurna (82,3%), enurese noturna não monossintomática (78,6%), incontinência fecal (54,2%) e constipação intestinal (47,9%). Detectou-se redução significativa da infecção do trato urinário (p = 0,0027), da incontinência urinária diurna (p < 0,001), da enurese noturna (p < 0,001), da incontinência fecal (p = 0,010) e do refluxo vesicoureteral (p = 0,01). Houve aumento significativo no uso do CIL (p = 0,021), da terapia com anticolinérgico (p < 0,001) e diminuição da quimioprofilaxia (p < 0,001). Conclusão: Este estudo mostrou que o tratamento da DTUI na criança deve ser individualizado, além de requerer uma monitorização constante dos parâmetros clínicos, laboratoriais e de imagem, para minimizar o risco de lesão renal.

Estimulação elétrica nervosa transcutânea para tratamento de urgência ou urge-incontinência urinária em crianças e adolescentes: ensaio clínico fase II

ResumoObjetivo:Determinar a efetividade de 20 sessões de estimulação elétrica nervosa transcutânea (TENS) parassacral com periodicidade de duas vezes semanais no tratamento da urgência ou urge-incontinência urinária em crianças e adolescentes.Métodos:Ensaio clínico fase II, envolvendo pacientes com idade entre 5 e 14 anos com urgência ou urge-incontinência urinária. Realizadas 20 sessões de TENS, duas vezes por semana (aparelho Dualpex 961 Quark®). Os resultados foram avaliados pelo diário miccional, ultrassonografia dinâmica do trato urinário inferior (USGD-TUI) pré e pós-tratamento e questionário sobre perdas urinárias em cada sessão.Resultados:A idade média das 25 crianças envolvidas no estudo foi 7,80 ± 2,22 anos, sendo a maioria do sexo feminino (92%) e com urge-incontinência (92%). A comparação dos eventos de perda urinária pré e pós-tratamento foi estatisticamente significativa (p = 0,04); houve regressão do sintoma de perda urinária referida pelos acompanhantes em todas as crianças que completaram a 20ª sessão; os parâmetros da USGD-TUI, embora não estatisticamente significativos, demonstraram redução do percentual de crianças com contrações detrusoras (62,5% para 43,5%); maior adequação do volume vesical pré-miccional (4,2% versus 19,0%), respectivamente pré e pós-tratamento.Conclusões:A eletroestimulação realizada em duas sessões semanais demonstrou efetividade e metade dos pacientes apresentou regressão da incontinência urinária a partir da 12ª sessão, porém, é necessário maior número de pacientes para confirmação dos resultados obtidos.

Evaluación de la contaminación fecal en ríos urbanos mediante la determinación de Urobilinas

[Tesis] ( Maestría en Ciencias con Especialidad en Ingeniería Ambiental ) U.A.N.L.

Identificación de los sitios de contaminación en la cadena de producción de tomate y chile jalapeño mediante la determinación de microorganismos indicadores de contaminación fecal y enteropatógenos.

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias con Acentuación en Microbiología) UANL, 2013.

Avaluació dels efectes d'un programa d'exercici físic individualitzat sobre la Qualitat de Vida (QdV), la incontinència urinària, la fatiga i la resistència muscular amb malalts del càncer de pròstata

El cáncer de próstata es el cáncer más frecuente en los hombres en muchos países industrializados. Considerando el porcentaje de supervivencia relativa a los 5 años (76,5%) y el estado de morbilidad que generan los tratamientos vigentes, el concepto de Calidad de Vida (CdV) del hombre mayor con cáncer de próstata pasa a ser un objetivo prioritario en la intervención sociosanitaria. Clásicamente la evaluación del impacto que generan los síntomas se ha determinado por la frecuencia y el número de síntomas asociados a la enfermedad y al tratamiento. A nuestro parecer, lo más apropiado es realizar el análisis objetivando además el impacto que generan en la actividad de vida diaria de los afectados. Este artículo tiene un doble objetivo. Primero, evaluar los beneficios de un programa de ejercicio de fuerza adaptado a la enfermedad y al tratamiento de cáncer de próstata. Segundo, identificar los síntomas más relevantes del cáncer de próstata desde la perspectiva del paciente y el impacto que generan a la Calidad de Vida del hombre mayor. La propuesta metodológica se basa en la triangulación metodológica entre métodos secuencial, (cuantitativo y cualitativo). En los resultados se observa una mejora significativa de la Calidad de Vida del enfermo, mediado indirectamente por la mejora del síntoma de incontinencia y el dolor. Así mismo se observa una mejora de la capacidad de la fuerza y resistencia muscular más evidente en las extremidades inferiores. Queda científicamente demostrada la eficacia de un programa de ejercicio físico de fuerza adaptado a los síntomas que genera la enfermedad y el tratamiento de cáncer de próstata en la mejora de la Calidad de Vida de la persona mayor.

Profiling of phenols in human fecal water after raspberry supplementation.

The phenolic compositions of fecal water samples from ten free-living human subjects without marked dietary restrictions were monitored before and after intake of raspberry puree (200 g/day, 4 days) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. No single phenolic component was increased in all subjects after intake, but a majority of subjects had significant elevations in phenylacetic acid (7/10), 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (6/10), 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (5/10), 3-phenylpropionic acid and 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid. The levels of 3,4-dihydroxbenzoic acid were elevated in 8/10 subjects, significantly for 6 subjects (p < 0.05), and not significantly reduced in the other 2 subjects. In addition, unlike most other fecal metabolites, the increase was always >2-fold. This metabolite may be representative of the increased colonic dose of cyanidin anthocyanins. The colonic microbiota varied greatly between individuals, and supplementation with raspberries did not produce any statistically significant alterations in the profile of colonic bacteria, nor was a common pattern revealed to account for the interindividual variations observed in the fecal water phenolic profiles.

Fecal microbiota in patients receiving enteral feeding are highly variable and may be altered in those who develop diarrhea

Background: The pathogenesis of diarrhea in patients receiving enteral feeding includes colonic water secretion, antibiotic prescription, and enteropathogenic colonization, each of which involves an interaction with the gastrointestinal microbiota. Objective: The objective was to investigate temporal changes in the concentrations of fecal microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in patients starting 14-d of enteral feeding and to compare these changes between patients who do and do not develop diarrhea. Design: Twenty patients starting exclusive nasogastric enteral feeding were monitored for 14 d. Fecal samples were collected at the start, middle, and end of this period and were analyzed for major bacterial groups by using culture independent fluorescence in situ hybridization and for SCFAs by using gas-liquid chromatography. Results: Although no significant changes in fecal microbiota or SCFAs were observed during enteral feeding, stark alterations occurred within individual patients. Ten patients (50%) developed diarrhea, and these patients had significantly higher concentrations of clostridia (P = 0.026) and lower concentrations (P = 0.069) and proportions (P = 0.029) of bifidobacteria. Patients with and without diarrhea had differences in the proportion of bifidobacteria (median: 0.4% and 3.7%; interquartile range: 0.8 compared with 4.3; P = 0.035) and clostridia (median: 10.4% and 3.7%; interquartile range: 14.7 compared with 7.0; P = 0.063), respectively, even at the start of enteral feeding. Patients who developed diarrhea had higher concentrations of total fecal SCFAs (P = 0.044), acetate (P = 0.029), and butyrate (P = 0.055). Conclusion: Intestinal dysbiosis occurs in patients who develop diarrhea during enteral feeding and may be involved in its pathogenesis. Am J Clin Nutr 2009; 89: 240-7.

Microbial species involved in production of 1,2-sn-diacylglycerol and effects of phosphatidylcholine on human fecal microbiota

1,2-sn-Diacylglycerols (DAGs) are activators of protein kinase C (PKQ, which is involved in the regulation of colonic mucosal proliferation. Extracellular DAG has been shown to stimulate the growth of cancer cell lines in vitro and may therefore play an important role in tumor promotion. DAG has been detected in human fecal extracts and is thought to be of microbial origin. Hitherto, no attempts have been made to identify the predominant fecal bacterial species involved in its production. We therefore used anaerobic batch culture systems to determine whether fecal bacteria could utilize phosphatidylcholine (0.5% [wt/vol]) to produce DAG. Production was found to be dependent upon the presence of the substrate and was enhanced in the presence of high concentrations of deoxycholate (5 and 10 mM) in the growth medium. Moreover, its production increased with the pH, and large inter- and intraindividual variations were observed between cultures seeded with inocula from different individuals. Clostridia and Escherichia coli multiplied in the fermentation systems, indicating their involvement in phosphatidylcholine metabolism. On the other hand, there was a significant decrease in the number of Bifidobacterium spp. in the presence of phosphatidylcholine. Pure-culture experiments showed that 10 of the 12 strains yielding the highest DAG levels (>50 nmol/ml) were isolated from batch culture enrichments run at pH 8.5. We found that the strains capable of producing large amounts of DAG were predominantly Clostridium bifermentans (8 of 12), followed by Escherichia coli (2 of 12). Interestingly, one DAG-producing strain was Bifidobacterium infantis, which is often considered a beneficial gut microorganism. Our results have provided further evidence that fecal bacteria can produce DAG and that specific bacterial groups are involved in this process. Future strategies to reduce DAG formation in the gut should target these species.

Modulation of the fecal microflora profile and immune function by a novel trans-galactooligosaccharide mixture (B-GOS) in healthy elderly volunteers

Background: Aging is associated with reduced numbers of beneficial colonic bifidobacteria and impaired immunity. Galactooligosaccharides (GOSs) stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria in younger adults, but little is known about their effects in the elderly and their immunomodulatory capacity. Objective: We assessed the effect of a prebiotic GOS mixture (B-GOS) on immune function and fecal microflora composition in healthy elderly subjects. Design: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, 44 elderly subjects were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or the B-GOS treatment (5.5 g/d). Subjects consumed the treatments for 10 wk, and then went through a 4-wk washout period, before switching to the other treatment for the final 10 wk. Blood and fecal samples were collected at the beginning, middle (5 wk), and end of the test period. Predominant bacterial groups were quantified, and phagocytosis, natural killer (NK) cell activity, cytokine production, plasma cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol were measured. Results: B-GOS significantly increased the numbers of beneficial bacteria, especially bifidobacteria, at the expense of less beneficial groups compared with the baseline and placebo. Significant increases in phagocytosis, NK cell activity, and the production of antiinflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) and significant reduction in the production of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1 beta , and tumor necrosis factor-alpha) were also observed. B-GOS exerted no effects on total cholesterol or HDL-cholesterol production, however. Conclusions: B-GOS administration to healthy elderly persons resulted in positive effects on both the microflora composition and the immune response. Therefore, B-GOS may be a useful dietary candidate for the enhancement of gastrointestinal health and immune function in elderly persons. Am J Clin Nutr 2008; 88: 1438-46.

Diet, fecal water, and colon cancer - development of a biomarker

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer incidence worldwide. Lifestyle factors, especially dietary intake, affect the risk of CRC development. Suitable risk biomarkers are required in order to assess the effect that specific dietary components have on CRC risk. The relationship between dietary intake and indicators of fecal water activity has been assessed using cell and animal models as well as human studies. This review summarizes the literature on fecal water and dietary components with a view to establishing further the potential role of fecal water as a source of CRC risk biomarkers. The literature indicates that fecal water activity markers are affected by specific dietary components linked with CRC risk: red meat, saturated fats, bile acids, and fatty acids are associated with an increase in fecal water toxicity, while the converse appears to be true for calcium, probiotics, and prebiotics. However, it must be acknowledged that the study of fecal water is still in its infancy and a number of issues need to be addressed before its usefulness can be truly gauged.

Fecal water as a non-invasive biomarker in nutritional intervention: comparison of preparation methods and refinement of different endpoints

The assessment of cellular effects by the aqueous phase of human feces (fecal water, FW) is a useful biomarker approach to study cancer risks and protective activities of food. In order to refine and develop the biomarker, different protocols of preparing FW were compared. Fecal waters were prepared by 3 methods: (A) direct centrifugation; (B) extraction of feces in PBS before centrifugation; and (C) centrifugation of lyophilized and reconstituted feces. Genotoxicity was determined in colon cells using the Comet assay. Selected samples were investigated for additional parameters related to carcinogenesis. Two of 7 FWs obtained by methods A and B were similarly genotoxic. Method B, however, yielded higher volumes of FW, allowing sterile filtration for long-term culture experiments. Four of 7 samples were non-genotoxic when prepared according to all 3 methods. FW from lyophilized feces and from fresh samples were equally genotoxic. FWs modulated cytotoxicity, paracellular permeability, and invasion, independent of their genotoxicity. All 3 methods of FW preparation can be used to assess genotoxicity. The higher volumes of FWobtained by preparation method B greatly enhance the perspectives of measuring different types of biological parameters and using these to disclose activities related to cancer development.

In vitro fermentation of oat bran obtained by debranning with a mixed culture of human fecal bacteria

The prebiotic potential of oat samples was investigated by in vitro shaker-flask anaerobic fermentations with human fecal cultures. The oat bran fraction was obtained by debranning and was compared with other carbon sources such as whole oat flour, glucose, and fructo-oligosaccharide. The oat bran fraction showed a decrease in culturable anaerobes and clostridia and an increase in bifidobacteria and lactobacilli populations. A similar pattern was observed in fructo-oligosaccharide. Butyrate production was higher in oat bran compared to glucose and similar to that in fructo-oligosaccharide. Production of propionate was higher in the two oat media than in fructo-oligosaccharide and glucose, which can be used as energy source by the liver. This study suggests that the oat bran fraction obtained by debranning is digested by the gut ecosystem and increases the population of beneficial bacteria in the indigenous gut microbiota. This medium also provides an energy source preferred by colonocytes when it is metabolized by the gut flora.